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Crafting Fine Modern Design

safety first

Now you might think that being a craft worker is a glamorous type of job, that it’s fulfilling to work at what you’re passionate about. While it is true to a certain extent, when it comes to working with slate it couldn’t be further from the truth.

What’s so “glamorous” about using an angle grinder and generating a whole load of dangerous dust. The grating noise would get on your nerves if it weren’t for the ear muffs. The word “fulfilling” isn’t coming to mind when you’re up to your ankles deep in muddy water after power washing the slate. And as you chip into the edging on the slate, your hands are barely functioning now because of the cold and you’re not smiling. Oh no, no smiles at all on that bedraggled face, no whistling emanating from that frozen mouth, only curses.

But at least you’re safe with your mask (for the dust), your ear muffs (for the excruciating sound), your visor (for dangerous flying particles, your steel tipped boots (for any heavy thing, ie slate, that might fall on your foot), your rain gear (for all that dampness you have to put up with being outside to do all that dirty work). The only thing keeping you from going insane is the thought that at least tomorrow you can come indoors and do the more “glamorous” side of working with slate, the colouring of gold and bronze on the slate , the hand painting of the clock hands, the mounting of the picture frames, the cutting of the mirror to size, the making of the pendulum swings for the pendulum clocks, the making up of the boxes and the list goes on and on. You won’t have to set foot outside for at least another week.

So put on your superser gas heater and relish in the heat and safety of indoors for the next few days!!!